[Long-term results after a modified Sauvé-Kapandji procedure. Report on 105 post-traumatic cases]

A modified Sauvé-Kapandji procedure was performed on 105 patients for a painfully limited range of motion and arthritis of the distal radioulnar joint following distal fracture of the radius ( n=81), the radius and ulna in the distal one-third ( n=18) and of the forearm shaft ( n=6). After an average of 8 years all patients were followed up clinically (motion, strength, pain) and radiographically (union of the arthrodesis, carpal translation, radioulnar distance). Rotation of the forearm had been improved by 53%. The amount of strength lay by 70% in comparison to the contralateral side. In 97% of the patients pain could be reduced. In all cases the arthrodesis had fused completely. An ulnar drift of the carpus was observed in 5% of the patients, and 74% of the patients showed radiological signs of approximation of the proximal ulnar stump to the radius. This reduction of the radioulnar distance amounted to less than 3 mm in 65% of the patients and lay between 3 and 5 mm in 29% of the patients. In none of the cases was direct contact between the ulna and the radius encountered.